In this era of Red States and Blue States it is a bit surprising that there hasn’t been more specific discussion of what authority belongs to the federal government and what belongs to the states. I’ll try. First, lets set the goalposts: - On the right, the phrase “states rights” became entangled with segregation 60 years ago in an era when Strom Thurmond ran for president on | Read More »
In recent weeks Democratic leaders seem to be transitioning to a severe case of anxiety neurosis. A few data points: - August 1, VP Joe Biden uses “terrorists” to describe Republicans in Congress. - August 20, Rep Maxine Waters: “The Tea Party can go straight to Hell.” - August 29, Rep Andre Carson of the Congressional Black Caucus, some Tea Party members in Congress “would | Read More »
I recently met a Janis Joplin-like young woman at an oversold Republican dinner in San Francisco. She had lost track of the time and hadn’t dried her hair; she held court about school, her friends, conformity, and the economy; she loved Ron Paul. So, I got to thinking: I’m in the group which believes that the Arab Spring is mostly about jobs. At least in | Read More »
We’ll skip over the death thing and go directly to taxes, a subject that allows at least a bit more optimism. First, a few general comments: – Our federal trillion dollar deficits come from recent increases in spending from about 20% of GDP to 24%, coupled with a decrease in revenue from an historic 19% to about 15%. Some of the revenue decrease comes from | Read More »
While we all eagerly await President Obama’s return from Martha’s Vineyard with a new jobs agenda, we can muse about whether he will walk through Door A or Door B. Door A: Governing. What would seem to be needed is a long term plan with a short term component, agreeable to both parties. The framework could be based on Simpson-Bowles, perhaps enhanced | Read More »
For Republicans the inevitable has happened. We now have a Class A conservative competing with a Class A moderate to face a vulnerable liberal incumbent Democrat in 2012. Both Perry and Romney have significant records of success (Romney in business; Perry in government); both have national networks (Romney from his 2008 run; Perry from his chairmanship of the Republican Governors Association); both are prodigious fund | Read More »
Rudyard Kipling, the great storyteller of British imperialism, in 1895 wrote a compelling poem of advice for a son in a hostile world – “If“. Some of the wisdom is pertinent for today’s American leaders. “ If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you” So the Tea Party is at fault for pointing out that | Read More »
In his brilliant political advice to the leader of Florence in 1512, “The Prince“, Niccolo Machiavelli offered four choices: A. Be honest; Appear to be honest B. Be dishonest, Appear to be dishonest. C. Be honest, Appear to be dishonest. D. Be dishonest; Appear to be honest. Most American poliiticians follow the advice of the Secretary to the Second Chancery of the Signoria, pursuing Plan | Read More »
From even the worst disasters we can learn lessons. Here are a few: 1. Successful negotiations require an understanding/acceptance of your opponent’s bottom line, clarity about your own minimum objectives, a search for common ground between those boundaries, and an ability to deliver on your commitments. - To the end the President did not accept the Republicans’ “no tax” requirement. Boehner eventually understood that the | Read More »
It is increasingly apparent that Barack Obama’s early schooling in Indonesia missed some of life’s lessons contained in Robert Fulghum’s classic “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten“. A few related thoughts from this week’s international news: 1. Don’t needlessly antagonize your rivals. China’s official news agency condemned Obama’s July 16 meetingwith the Dalai Lama claiming that Obama supports anti-China separatists and | Read More »
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